I have missed the past couple TWD challenges due to busy work schedules;  but, when I saw that Mari over at Mevrouw was hosting, I knew I could not miss this one.  As well, Creme Brulee is a favorite around our house as well as when we go camping!

I normally use a different recipe (one from the restaurant Fringle in San Francisco), which requires some extra time as well as baking it in a Bain Marie.  This recipe was the complete opposite – hardly any extra work at all and you bake it at a very low heat with no Bain Marie.

I was serving French food for dinner on Sunday and figured I would serve this dessert.  Since I was craving crepe suzette, I decided to switch this recipe up instead.  I let the cream simmer and then sit for an hour with 5 crushed Cardamon pods.  I did not use vanilla, instead, I added a teaspoon of French Brandy and a teaspoon of Orange Liquer.  I also decided to let the custard sit over night, in order to really mingle all the flavors.  Right before serving, we dusted the tops with some raw brown sugar and burnt it until it was a golden gooey caramel topping.

The end result – ultra creamy, a bit more dense than my usual recipe.  The flavors were a fantastic combination especially with the warm burnt sugar topping.  Would I make a again, definitely, especially when i am pressed for time;  but, I will continue to use my stand by recipe, when time allows.  Afterall, it is good to have a stand-by, right?